The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-04

us TO expect that national morality can prevail
in exclusion of religious principles" Thoma.
Jefferson, who is often quoted by the unbelievine
as one who encouraged or favored agnosticism,
said in his first message as President /" Can tht
liberties of a ma ion be thought secure, when We
have. removed their only firm basis convictio1
in the minds OF the people that these liberties
are the gift of God I"
The learned Presbyterian divine, the late DR.
Hodge in his ably written article in the Jan
Uary number of the New Princeton ReUielO very
truly says, " The proposed attemp at erecting
a com lete system of pubic schools from whose
instruction all post We religious clemens are to
De expurgated is absolutely without precedent
in the history of the human race. The schools Of
China have always been penetrated with the re.
ligion of China, such as it is. The schools OF
EUROPE of every grade, Protestant as well as
CHI rlemangs, been the chlldre1 of Christianity
The schools of Germany, hitherto the most eff
ieient in the world, provide even for The teach
ing of the whole outline of dogmatic Christian
ity. The schools of revolutionary Paris alone
emulate the agnostic profession and practice OF
our own system.n
Horace Mann may well be called the father of
the American Common-sehool system He says
On the question of religious education: "Such
is he force of the conviction to which my own
mind is brought by these general considerations
that cou not avoid regarding the man who
should oppose the religious education of the
young as an insane man and were it proposed
to debate the question between us, should de-
sire to restore him to his reason before entering
upon the discuss on"
One of the mos devoted friends of education
in America to day, BIT. Rev. ]. P. Spalding, has
pertinently said: The exclusion of religious
instruction from the school room can be logical
IL justified only on the assumption that religion
is false. The Goddess school theory can have
lis logical basis only in that system of sophistry
which holds that all positive religious dogmas
had their origin IN the credulity, the ignorance
and fears of rude and savage peoples. Were this
true, the diffusion of The spirit of belief would
be most desirable, ana for the Accomplishment
of this end no better means could be found than
the Goddess school system"
Richard Grant White, whose honesty of pur-
pose will not be called IA question. and whose
ability to wisely discuss this much misunder
stood problem will not be doubted, thus treats
it in his memorable article in the December
number of the North american ReUtelO for 1880 :
knowledge will not lift the masses, exceDt as a
BALBOA is lifted, because 1t is inflated with gas
Mere Enowledge does not raise the quality of
mems mDra1Datures. knowledge is light indeed
tn him who can see, and who can think and ieel
rightly as to what he gees but mere Intellectual
light, without moral warmth, will not produce
healthy social life, any more Than healthy
physical lie can exist in the | ght Of q thousand
suns without the general warmth of one.
Among all tHe adages which are supinely &C
cepted and blindly acted upon there Is hardly